Celebrating 50 Years!
Winter 2022 Immersive Digital Art Storefront Experience
Grant Eaton is an illustrator, animator, and designer based in Raleigh, North Carolina. He studied Art and Design with a focus on 2D animation and illustration at North Carolina State University. Grant’s childhood was consumed with drawing and watching his favorite cartoons, films, and TV shows. Not much has changed. His art continually explores color, shape, and style in an effort to evoke personality and joy.
This holiday animation was created to inspire childlike joy in the viewer through vivid color, captivating movement, and a visual warmth to celebrate the season. Grant takes the audience through a mesmerizing holiday kaleidoscope before being greeted by a festive reindeer.
Website: eatondesignofficial.com
Instagram: @eaton_design
CosmeCon & Fashion Through the Decades
Crabtree hosted CosmeCon™ on September 17 at Belk Crabtree. CosmeCon is an annual cosmetic, skin care, wellness and fashion experience that encompasses all things beauty — from the inside out, carving out how beauty is defined by YOU!
The fashions featured on the runway were styled by Stratton Parr of The Style Parfait and spanned the decades to celebrate and commemorate Crabtree’s 50th anniversary.
During the event, artist Tanya Freeze sketched some of the iconic styles that graced the runway.
THE BIG 50
Crabtree, American Cancer Society and Macy’s Celebrate the Big 50 with a Special Charity Event
Partners Dedicated to Giving Back to the Community, Cancer Research and Survivorship
Together, we’ll kick off 2022’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, celebrate survivorship with a Survivor Fashion Show, and enjoy light refreshments and a silent auction with select Crabtree retail stores, including Macy’s, Michael Kors, Coach and more. The private event on Sunday, August 21 from 7 – 8:30 pm will help raise money to save lives.
Exterior Storefront Art Exhibit & Project Collaboration
As part of Crabtree’s 50th anniversary, we’re celebrating with an exhibit and project collaboration with Triangle artist and illustrator, Cat de Montjoye @starstruck_creative.
“Save Our Stars” is now on display on windows in Crabtree’s Convenience Center, located outside behind Barnes & Noble.
16 pieces are displayed across three huge storefront windows.
Your artwork can be featured too, just scan the QR code on the mural next time you are at Crabtree for the opportunity to be considered.
New Immersive Digital Art Storefront Experience
Back by popular demand and to continue the 50-year celebration of community engagement, Crabtree expanded its partnership with award-winning team, Mike Cuales, creative director, and technical producer, LEVR Studios, LLC and local artist, Rhett Hissam, to create a new immersive light experience for guests. The digital art installation uses special screening and projection mapping to illuminate the storefront adjacent to Starbucks.
The first exhibit on display March – May featured various artists, including Hissam and students from NC State’s College of Design.
The new exhibit “Nourish” launched in June at Crabtree will be on display for one month. “Nourish” was featured earlier this year in GLOW, a local pop-up outdoor art display of light and technology.
Golden Anniversary Photo Project
2022 marks Crabtree’s golden anniversary with 50 years as a vibrant retail destination woven into The Triangle community and beyond. We know many of you have been guests for multiple decades with a legacy of special traditions. Join the celebration, share your Crabtree memories in the Golden Anniversary Photo Project, get featured on the big screen and enter to win $100 gift cards!
- Did you come to Crabtree to see Snow Bear and get a hug and sticker at Thalhimers?
- Did you ever visit The Secret Shop to buy holiday gifts for parents and loved ones?
- Did you experience the iconic two-story metal fountain at Crabtree?
- Do you remember eating at the Piccadilly Cafeteria?
Now is the time to look back at your old photo albums and find those Crabtree moments including snapshots with Santa, back to school shopping, special birthday meals and more. This is a milestone to be celebrated!
Photo Project Details
Each guest who submits a qualifying photo in the Golden Anniversary Photo Project will have a chance to be featured on the big screen in Center Court and will be entered into our monthly raffle for a $100 gift card for a store or restaurant at Crabtree.
- Drawings will take place in 2022 on 2/28, 3/31, 4/29, 5/31, and 6/30.
- Winners will receive an email to claim their prize.
- Only photos taken on Crabtree’s property between 1972 and 2021 will qualify for a raffle submission.
- Digital files or pictures of printed photographs will be accepted (place on a flat surface with a solid background and tap your screen for focus, use natural lighting and avoid flash).
- There is an 8MB size limit for each photo.
Golden Anniversary Giveaway
To celebrate 50 years, we are giving away $50 gift cards to your favorite store or restaurant at Crabtree. Follow us on Instagram @shopcrabtree for a chance to win! Winners will be selected on Friday on a biweekly basis.
Immersive Digital Art Storefront Experience
To help celebrate 50 years of community engagement, Crabtree partnered with award-winning team, Mike Cuales, creative director, and technical producer, LEVR Studios, LLC and Robin Vuchnich, artist, and multi-media innovator to create an experimental immersive light experience for guests while supporting local artists, including students from NC State’s College of Design. The resulting digital art installation uses special screening and projection mapping to illuminate the storefront immediately adjacent to Starbucks. The display will be up through May 30, 2022.
This public art exhibit features digital art and interactive content presents a unique visual experience through 15 segments from 12 local artists and aspiring design students. The works were created using different techniques and technologies from virtual reality painting, procedurally generated art, artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision and neural networks.
Celebrate 50 Years this Spring with a Bailey Box Scavenger Hunt
Crabtree and Bailey’s Fine Jewelry have teamed up to host a fun and exciting spring scavenger hunt leading up to Easter. Instead of searching for traditional Easter eggs, shoppers will use their creativity to explore every part of Crabtree in common areas to find hidden Bailey Boxes. Guests are invited to join the ‘Finders Keepers’ Bailey Box scavenger hunt on Wednesday, April 13 in which 50 lucky searchers will find their very own Bailey Box with a prize card inside showcasing the piece of jewelry they’ve won. The total number of prizes was chosen to commemorate Crabtree’s 50th anniversary. Each Bailey Box will include a prize card with a featured item: necklace, bracelet, earrings, watch, money clip, cuff links or a Bailey’s gift card. The items range in price from $35 to $495 with a total retail value of approximately $6,000.